You are Allen Starwind, a starship captain and veteran of the Great Interstellar War. Your starship is old, yet (mostly) reliable, and you must take on jobs in order to bring in enough cash to keep it flying. Last time, you spoke with Samantha and learned of her plans to leave the crew, then went to talk with Tom. Good luck, and fair skies.

You decide to go looking for Tom. Seeing as he’s typically the one who keeps track of things, it only makes sense you’d see if he’s got any plans for today.

You search around, eventually stumbling upon him as he sits in the passenger seat of the truck with the door open and a foot resting on the running board. He scowls, looking intently at a sky-blue communicator as he taps the keys with his free hand.

“Hey Tom,” you get his attention.

“Sir,” he greets you, not looking up from whatever he’s doing. “Just got this thing the other day and I still can’t figure out some of its features…” He grumbles, putting it down and looking at you. “You’re up early.”

You nod. “Didn’t get much sleep.” You point to the communicator. “Need any help setting that thing up?”

“Nah, I’m good.” He shrugs. “I should probably check the manual before I start trying to use it.”

>”So what possessed you to get a personal communicator?” >”Anything planned for today?” >”Samantha is planning on leaving the crew.” >Write-in.

Tom however, merely shrugs. “Can’t say I’m surprised, sir. She seemed a bit ‘off’ lately…” He raises an eyebrow at you, then looks back to his communicator. “Probably for the best, though. She’s been out of the world for two years… Not to mention what’s happened with her family and everything.”

“I suppose so,” you nod.

Tom continues. “Seems we all lost a part of ourselves in the War. Or maybe it was what came after…” He pulls a cigarette from his pocket and lights it. “What that girl’s been through, it’s probably best that she take some time away from everything to sort herself out.” He takes a long drag of his cigarette, looking out at nothing in particular. “Wouldn’t want her turning out like us, would we?”

You raise an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He chuckles. “Come on, Captain. This isn’t exactly a normal life. Whether we’re operating just barely above the board, or getting involved in rebellions and conspiracies… We spacers live a tumultuous existence.” He pauses to take another drag of the cigarette. “This may seem like the good life for us, but I wouldn’t wish it on somebody who still has a chance at a normal life planetside.” He trails off, looking down at his communicator and aggressively tapping the keys. “Dammit. I keep hitting the wrong buttons. Why don’t they make these things more user-friendly?” He sits the communicator on the seat of the truck. “But hell, I don’t know. I just figure maybe she’s too… Normal. For all this.” He waves an arm for emphasis. “Got a good head on her shoulders, sure, but one that’d probably be more comfortable working a steady, safe job.”

>”You’re sounding surprisingly fatherly.” >”I think you’re overestimating how weird our travels have been.” (denial)>”So why did you get that thing, anyway?” (ask about his communicator)>”I remember you and Samantha not getting along well, you sure this doesn’t have anything to do with that?” >Write-in.”

>>2534637Fair enough, although settling into a normal planetbound life won’t be easy or without risk for her either, considering her past has unexplained holes and if services get hands on her dna samples she will have a lot of interrogations to endure.

>>2534637>”I remember you and Samantha not getting along well, you sure this doesn’t have anything to do with that?” Just voting for this one because I think the fatherly one sound like a bit of a non-sequitor a bit like "wow Tom, you're capable of empathy?!", duh of course he is, he's a good boy.>tumultuousOh, someone's been leafing through the thesaurus while in the head again.

You frown. “I specifically remember you and Samantha not getting along too well.” Tom raises an eyebrow, but you continue. “This wouldn’t happen to be related to that, right?”

Tom shakes his head, taking a long drag of the cigarette. “No sir. As much as she and I may disagree, I wouldn’t be trying to get her to leave over it.”

You nod slowly. “Alright, just making sure. You didn’t seem too surprised by her leaving.”

He shrugs. “Well, like I said, it makes sense from her perspective.” He looks back at his communicator. “Anyway… I should probably read through the manual for this thing and get it set up correctly. Is there anything you need first, sir?”

>”Any word on that CFP meet-and-greet we got invited to?” >”I don’t suppose there’s any odd jobs around town I could do while we’re here, are there?” >”Nothing at the moment.” >Write-in.